Psychological disorders have become the top health problem in the country, according to an international index, “Disability Adjusted Life Year,” used for evaluating the general burden of diseases in society.

Experts estimate mental illness will continue to be the nation’s top health problem for at least the next 20 years.

“People usually pay attention to physical problems, but often ignore psychosocial health,” Yin Dakui, vice-minister of health, said in an address promoting World Health Day on April 7.

An estimated 400 million people in the world suffer from mental or neurological disorders or from psychosocial problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, according to Gro Harlem Brundtland, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Many of the victims suffer alone. Beyond the suffering and beyond the absence of care lie the frontiers of stigma, shame, exclusion and more often than we care to know, death,” the director-general said.

This year’s World Health Day is devoted to mental health with the theme: “Stop exclusion, dare to care.”

In China, there are currently about 16 million mental patients and an even larger number of people affected by neurosis and psychosocial problems.

The general morbidity rate of the 19 classes of mental disorder is about 13 per thousand and increasing.

For example, schizophrenia, which currently affects 6 million patients, could affect a further 100,000 people each year.

At the same time, children’s psychosocial problems, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide rates, senile dementia and depression are also increasing.

Current health resources are failing to meet the increasing demand of psychosocial problems in the country.

There are currently 110,000 mental patient beds and 13,000 mental disorder specialists.

In recognition of the growing burden, the Ministry of Health is rapidly drafting the National Mental Health Program (2001-05) to improve the treatment of mental health, according to Shao Ruitai, deputy director of the ministry’s Department of Disease Control.

Under the program, the medical treatment of mental disorders will be enhanced, services will be extended in communities and rural areas, and more psychological consultation and psychotherapy services will be available.

(China Daily 03/26/2001)